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Wildfire in the Hoge Venen: Rare Pyrocumulus Observed

A rare pyrocumulus cloud is visible above the wildfire in the Hoge Venen, where severe damage has been inflicted.

16 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Wildfire in the Hoge Venen: Rare Pyrocumulus Observed — Archive photoPhoto: Brocken Inaglory · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

A rare pyrocumulus cloud has been observed above the large wildfire in the Hoge Venen. This type of cloud forms due to the intense heat of a wildfire, pushing air, smoke, and possibly burning particles upward.

The Liège public prosecutor's office has announced it will open an investigation into the cause of the fire. Meanwhile, the flames are spreading southeastward, driven by a northerly wind.

The wildfire has already destroyed more than 4,200 football fields of peatland. The situation is considered serious, and firefighters are working to bring the blaze under control.

Updates on the fire and the progress of the investigation are being compiled in a live blog for those involved and interested.

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